Maryknoll, NY-Sister Mary Paulita Hoffman died on March 14^th, 2019 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 104 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 85 years.

Mary Rose Hoffmann was born in Cincinnati, OH on August 13th, 1914 to Mary (Dumont) Hoffman and Oscar Hoffman. She was the youngest child in a family of eight children: four sons and three daughters. Her four brothers: John, Oscar-Jacob, Joseph and Oscar-Michael and her three sisters: Marie, Sr. Mary Eileen (Lorraine) and Margaret have all long ago predeceased her.

In 1932, Mary Rose graduated from Our Lady of the Angels High School in St. Bernard, OH and attended The Atheneum-a Catholic institution for Christian formation of priests and laity.  She also was a swimming instructor, Red Cross volunteer and worked in an office.

She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY on June 4^th, 1933 from Sacred Heart Parish (Cincinnati Archdiocese).  At her Reception she received the religious name, Sister Mary Paulita, which she retained throughout her religious life. Sister Paulita made her First Profession of Vows on January 6^th, 1936 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY. After making her First Vows, she served as Assistant Novice Mistress until 1938, when she received her first overseas mission assignment to China. She made her Final Vows on January 6^th, 1939 in Kaying, China.

After language study in 1938, Sister Paulita’s work was in direct evangelization, catechesis, pastoral visiting and native novitiates until 1950, when she was placed under house arrest by the new Communist government. After two years, when Bishop Ford died in the Guangdong prison on February 21^st, 1952, (presumed date), Sister Paulita was freed and expelled from China. She went to Hong Kong for a short period and then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY for medical attention. The lack of food during her period of confinement required an emergency operation and treatment. After a long period of recovery, Sister Paulita worked in the Maryknoll Sisters Promotion Department until 1954.

Sister Paulita loved China and the Chinese, and after her recovery in 1954, she was one of the first Sisters assigned to Taiwan. When she had first gone to China, Sister had learned the Hakka language so she chose to go to the Miaoli Deanery for her ministry. Sister first served in Nan Chuang Parish, but lived with other Sisters in the Toufen Convent. This was no problem for Sister since she traveled back and forth every day on her motorcycle! Paulita worked for over 50 years with the Hakka and Aboriginal peoples in Taiwan. She was rewarded for this long and faithful service with a certificate of Permanent Residency making her a citizen of Taiwan.

From 1954 until 2004, Sr. Paulita lived and worked in Taiwan doing a variety of pastoral-catechetical works in a number of parishes in Toufen in Miaoli County, Fenglin in Hualien County and Tungshih in Taichung County.  Among other skills, she was an artist with a keen eye for unique pieces of wood.  Despite the fact that her right hand had been severely crushed in a laundry mangle while she was still a novice, over the years she carved beautiful wood crucifixes from interesting branches she collected on her many mission trips into the mountains of the Miaoli area.

All was not always serene in Taiwan. Sister Paulita relates how she survived a number of earthquakes like the one that claimed some 2,000 lives in September of 1999.  She was at the epicenter of the quake in Tungshih. For three days the Sisters in Taiwan did not know if she had survived.  When they finally made contact with her, she chose to remain for several weeks with the people in Tungshih, sleeping with them on the floor of the parish church – one of the few buildings in town that had remained unscathed.

In 2004, Sister Paulita returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY where she continued to serve her community in various positions until 2012 when she retired. Sister Paulita made it to the remarkable age of 104 years old, despite being placed under house arrest by the Communist Regime, being a victim of a freak accident which left her with a severely crushed hand, and surviving several earthquakes in Taiwan!

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Paulita on Monday, March 18^th, 2019 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

A Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Tuesday, March 19^th, 2019 at 11:00 a.m., also in the Chapel of the Annunciation. Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery on the Center grounds.

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Bernadette Higa died on March 12^th, 2019 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 93 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 68 years.

Shigeko was born in Kaupakalua, Maui, Hawaii on October 12^th, 1925 to Kame (Miyashiro) Higa and Ushi Higa. She had two brothers and seven sisters.  One brother and three sisters have predeceased her. She was very close to her Sister Mary Louise, who is also a Maryknoll Sister and an active member of the Congregation today. Shigeko became interested in the Catholic Faith in eighth grade, she was baptized as Bernadette on August 14^th, 1943 at Sacred Heart Church in Honolulu, Oahu.

She attended Maui High School for one year, McKinley High School in Honolulu for two years and Maryknoll High School in Honolulu for two years, graduating in 1945. Together, Bernadette and her sister Mary Louise studied at St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing in Honolulu, from 1946-1949, and both became Registered Nurses.

From 1949-1950, Bernadette worked at St. Francis Hospital. She then entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate with her sister, Mary Louise in Valley Park, MO on February 1^st, 1951 from St. Stephen’s Parish in Honolulu. At her Reception, she received the religious name Sister Marie Bernadette. She made her First Profession of Vows on September 8^th, 1953 in Valley Park, MO and spent the rest of the year working in the Outpatient Clinic at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. In 1954, Bernadette was assigned to Queen of the World Hospital in Kansas City, MO; while there she made her Final Vows on September 8^th, 1959.

After making her Final Vows, she was assigned to Taiwan, there she began her mission with language study. From 1960-1972, Sister Bernadette worked with indigenous people in a pre and post-natal clinic, well baby clinic and held nutrition classes in Taiwan.

In 1973, Sister Bernadette returned to St. Francis Hospital in Honolulu for a refresher course in general nursing.  She then studied at Chaminade College in Honolulu from 1973-1976, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies.

After doing Congregational Service at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY from 1976-1978, Sister Bernadette was assigned to the Congregation’s new mission project in Bangladesh. While waiting for her visa to Bangladesh, she returned to Honolulu and worked in a Surgeon’s clinic for one year. In Bangladesh, she was involved in Natural Family Planning for three years. In 1984, she returned to Hawaii to serve as an Assistant Chaplain at Hawaii State Hospital. She also studied Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), counseled patients in a mental hospital and provided religious services until 1994.

Sister Bernadette returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY where she worked as a clerk/typist in the Admissions Office until 1997. She then returned to Hawaii once again to do volunteer work in the Regional Office, visit the sick at their homes and in the hospital.

In 2006, Sister Bernadette retired at the Sisters retirement house in Monrovia, CA where she remained until 2011; she then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY due to declining health. She remained at the Sisters Center until the time of her death.

Sister Bernadette died on March 12^th, 2019 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY. She was accompanied by her loving sister Mary Louise at the time of her death.

Sister Bernadette will be cremated.

A Vespers Service will be held  on Tuesday, March 26th, 2019 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at Maryknoll Sisters Center.

A Funeral Mass will follow on Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Center.  

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Joan Chatfield died on March 1^st, 2019 in Oahu, Hawaii. She was 86 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 68 years.

Joan was born in Elizabeth, NJ, on October 7^th, 1932 to Angela (Mc Cahill) Chatfield and Henry Summers Chatfield.  She had two sisters, Olive and Mary.  Her parents and sisters have predeceased her.

In 1950, Joan graduated from Mount St. Dominic Academy in Caldwell, NJ. She then entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, NY on September 6^th, 1950 from St. Aloysius Parish in Caldwell, NJ (Diocese of Newark).  At her Reception she received the religious name, Sister Dominic Rosaire. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1953 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY and her Final Profession on March 7^th, 1959 in Honolulu, HI.  She returned to her baptismal name Joan, after Vatican Council II.

Sister Joan studied at Maryknoll Teachers College from 1952 – 1953 and Manhattanville College from 1953 – 1956, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology and Chemistry.  She was then assigned to Hawaii where she spent the next 36 years teaching high school religion, biology, and chemistry.

In 1968, Sister Joan went to San Francisco, CA to earn a Master’s Degree in Theology at the University of San Francisco. After receiving her Degree, she returned to Honolulu, HI, where she was Chairperson of the Theology Department and Teacher/Counsellor at Maryknoll High School until 1972. From 1974-1977, she served as Director of the Maryknoll Sisters Mission Institute (educational programs provided by the Maryknoll Sisters to other missioners and the public) at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY.

Over the next 30 years, Sister Joan dedicated her life and ministry to ecumenism and bringing people of all faiths together in Hawaii. From 1980-2010, she served as Executive Director of the Institute for Religion and Social Change which included: Chair of the Diocesan Commission on Ecumenism in the Diocese of Honolulu; NADEO (National Association of Diocesan Ecumenical Officers);

Faiths in the World Committee, and Institute for Religion and Social Change. In 1983, she went back to California, this time for her graduate studies at the Theological Union – Pacific School of Religion in Berkley, CA.  There she earned a Doctor of Philosophy Degree.

After earning her Doctorate, she returned to Hawaii once again. From 1989-1997, Sister Joan taught two classes at Chaminade University in Honolulu and was also their Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts.  From 2003 – 2019, she served as President of three groups in Hawaii: CWUH (Church Women United); ABN (All Believers Network); GYCH (Global Youth Center).

On February 13^th, 2009 she was among five who were named as “Living Treasures of Hawaii” for their contributions to Hawaii’s distinctive cultural and artistic heritage.

Services will be held on Thursday, March 21, 2019 at Sacred Heart Church, 1701 Wilder Avenue, Honolulu, HI.  Viewing at 9:00 am, Mass at 10:30 am and Reception to follow at 11:30 am-1:30 pm at Maryknoll Grade School Campus, 1722 Dole Street. 

Burial will be at 2:00 pm at Diamond Head Memorial Park.

Sister Maria Rieckelman died on December 28^th, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 91 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 73 years.

She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on August 31^st, 1927 to Mary (Mathews) Rieckelman and Harry H. Rieckelman and given the name Alice. She had two sisters: Mary Louise and Edith and two brothers: Harry H. Jr. and Charles J.; all of whom have predeceased her.

In 1945, Alice graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Hyde Park, Cincinnati, OH. She then entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining, NY on September 6^th, 1945 from St. Mary’s Parish in Hyde Park (Cincinnati Diocese).  At her Reception into the community she received the religious name, Sister Maria Fidelis, which she retained throughout her religious life. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1948 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY and her Final Vows on March 7^th, 1951 also at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

From 1945-1947, Sister Maria studied at the Maryknoll Teachers College in Maryknoll, NY. In 1947, she transferred to the College of Mount St. Vincent in New York, NY where she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in 1951.  She continued her studies at Marquette University School of Medicine (now known as The Medical College of Wisconsin) in Milwaukee, WI and graduated in 1955 earning her Doctor of Medicine Degree.  Sister Maria then began her internship in medicine and surgery at Mt. Carmel Hospital in Columbus, OH from 1955-1956.

In 1956, she received her first overseas mission assignment to Pusan, Korea to do medical work. Then in 1958, Sister Maria was sent to Kowloon, Hong Kong where she studied language and supervised the building of Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital which opened in 1961. From 1963-1967, she served as the Hospital Administrator. She then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY where for two years she was instrumental in setting up new governance structures for the community life of the Sisters.

From 1971-1974, Sister Maria was assigned to Honolulu, Hawaii where she completed her Residency in both Adult and Child Psychiatry at the University of Hawaii.

She was then appointed as Coordinator of Health Services for the Church in the USA Office of Domestic Social Development at the U.S. Catholic Conference in Washington, D.C from 1976-1977, .

Sister Maria remained in Washington, D.C., from 1978 – 2004, her “itinerant” ministry focused on doing Psychiatric Therapy and Spiritual Psychiatry to missioners and leaders in over 30 countries. This included: workshops, seminars, and retreats for communities and leadership groups of all faiths. She helped her participants face issues of interpersonal growth, leadership, trauma, stress, and interconnectedness, highlighted by women’s movement and ecological awareness. In 2006, she served as individual and workshop facilitator with members of the Maryknoll Society, Maryknoll Affiliates and Lay Missioners.

In 2007, Sister Maria returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY where she provided spiritual direction to people until 2014 when she retired.

Sister Maria donated her body to science. 

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Maria on Monday, January 21, 2018 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.

A Funeral Mass will be held on January 22, at 11:00 a.m., also in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

Sister Pauline M. Sticka died on December 7^th, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, New York.  She was 94 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 76 years.

Pauline was born on November 9^th, 1924 in Dickenson, North Dakota to Odelia (Frank) Sticka and Raphael Sticka.  She had four brothers and five sisters.

In 1942, Pauline graduated from Good Counsel Academy in Mankato, Minnesota.   She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Ossining, NY from St. Mary’s, in New England (Diocese of Bismark, North Dakota) on September 2^nd, 1942.  At her Reception into the Congregation she received the religious name Sister M. Paul Therese.  She made her First Profession of Vows at the Maryknoll Sisters Center on March 7^th, 1945 and her Final Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1948, in China.

Sister Pauline remained at the Maryknoll Sisters Center after making her First Profession of Vows and worked at the Seminary kitchen. In 1947, she received her first overseas assignment to Kaying, China to do catechetical work. In December, 1950 she was placed under house arrest by the Communist Regime until 1951, when she was expelled from China and returned to the US. She served for the next several years in the Development Department at the Maryknoll Sisters Center and then did pastoral ministry in Chinatown, in Chicago, IL.

In 1955, Sister Pauline was assigned to Changhua, Taiwan where she did language study for two years and was then assigned to Puli, Taiwan where she did parish ministry until 1967. In 1970, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to study at Mary Rogers College and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Community Service in 1973. Sister Pauline then returned to Hsinchu and then Chiayi, Taiwan where she spent the next twenty years doing religious education, family seminars, pastoral work, building Basic Christian Communities, facilitating Marriage Encounter Activities, and began a new neighborhood presence ministry to live among the people and get to know who they were.

In 1994 she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to work as Office Assistant to the Main House Council until 1997. That same year she returned to Taiwan where she again served the people in pastoral care, home visits and community ministry, first in Kaohsiung and later in Taichung until 2006. From 2006-2007, she staffed the Regional House and did neighborhood ministry. In 2008, Sister Pauline returned to the U.S. and was assigned to the Sisters house in Monrovia, CA.  On December 1^st, 2014 she retired at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY.

A Wake and Vespers service will be held in the Annunciation Chapel of the Maryknoll Sisters Center at Maryknoll, NY on Thursday, December 13, 2018 at 4:15 P.M. 

A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Friday, December 14, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. also in Annunciation Chapel. Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery.

Sister Irene E. Solzbacher, medical doctor, and psychiatrist, died on November 29th, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY.  She was 84 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 65 years.

Irene was born on June 21st, 1934 in Luxemberg City, Luxemberg to Regina (Reiff) Solzbacher and William A. Solzbacher. She had three sisters, Josephine, Regina and Eve all of whom are still living.

In 1952, Irene graduated from Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in Greenwich, CT and then attended Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY from 1952 – 1953. She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, NY on September 2nd, 1953 from St. Barnabas Parish in Yonkers, NY.  Irene made her First Profession of Vows on March 7th, 1956 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY and her Final Profession of Vows in Honolulu, HI on March 7th, 1962.

From 1958-1961, Sister Irene studied at Maryknoll Teachers College where she earned a Bachelor of Education Degree.  She then received her first mission assignment to Hawaii, there she earned a Master’s of Education Degree in Physical Science at the University of Hawaii in 1965 and taught Math, Science and Religion at the Maryknoll High School in Honolulu, HI until 1970. Sister Irene decided she wanted to begin her studies in the medical field, from 1970-1971 she was a medical student at Kuhio Park Terrace Project, in Honolulu and was also a part-time research assistant and taught catechetics.  She then began studying at the University of Hawaii Medical School and earned a Doctor of Medicine Degree in 1975.

From 1975-1978, Sister Irene served in a Psychiatric Residency at the University of Hawaii.  She was then assigned to Waianae Mental Health Clinic to work as a Psychiatrist and also served as Director/Director of Social Services at Kahumana Counseling Center in Maili, Oahu from 1979-2000. Sister Irene then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY and served as a volunteer/medical companion in the Out Patient Clinic from 2001 until 2014 when she retired.

Sister Irene has generously donated her body to science.

A Vespers Service will be held on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 4:15 P.M. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at 4:00 P.M., also in the Chapel of the Annunciation.

Sister Mary Doretta Leonard died on November 27^th, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 93 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 73 years.

Mary was born in New York City on June 26^th, 1925 to Mary (Burnell) Leonard and Anthony Leonard; she was baptized as Anne Therese. She had one brother, Edward who has predeceased her.

In 1943, Mary graduated from Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School in Brooklyn, NY and then studied at Fordham School of Education from 1944-1945. She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, NY on September 6^th, 1945 from St. Francis Assisi Parish in Astoria, NY (Diocese of Brooklyn). At her Reception into the Congregation she received the religious name, Sister Doretta. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1948 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY and her Final Profession on March 7^th, 1951 in China.

In 1948, Sister Doretta received her first overseas mission assignment to China, not knowing she would serve there for the next 50 years on and off. She first arrived to Wuchow, China to study language for one year and then began her ministry in catechetical work in 1950.   The political situation in Wuchow required Sister Doretta to transfer to Hong Kong, there she continued her work as a catechist until 1968. She then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY to study at Mary Rogers College, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Adult Education in 1970. After earning her degree, Sister Doretta returned to Hong Kong to continue doing catechetical work until 1977.  From 1977-1980, she was assigned to the Development Department at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY.

In 1980, Sister Doretta became a parish team member at St. Stephen’s Church, where she did Pastoral ministry in Hong Kong for the next nine years. In 1989, she was assigned to do congregational service at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY, serving as receptionist and working in the Congregational Archives Department.

Sister Doretta once again returned to China in 1992 to do pastoral work; first in Macau until 1995 and then transferring to Hong Kong where she did part-time volunteer work visiting the sick and elderly.  In 2005, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY to retire, but remained an active volunteer serving as a member of the Pastoral Care Team.

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Mary Doretta at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Assumption on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

 A funeral Mass will follow on Friday, November 30, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Center.

 Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery on the Center grounds.